Pictures in My Head
by myloveimfaithfullyyours
Summary: Rated T, formerly known as lovers are better off dead. A series of flashbacks, and present events connect to bring old overs back together again. As the past seems to unwind so do the hard feelings toward eachother. Review Please. Sweenett, and Ben/Nelli
1. Chapter 1

Lovers Are Better Off Dead

Lovers Are Better Off Dead

Disclaimer: None of these characters, except for Andrew belong to me. The plot belongs to me, but neither Sweeney Todd the play or movie does. No duh.

_Note: I haven't written in a while. Excuse the spelling mistakes._

Chapter One: Prologue

It ain't that hard to see that life is no storybook fairytale, but instead a monster-like creature. They let you live, watch you suffer, and then send you to your cruel, cruel death.

Really, it's an over exaggerated thing, and many people would find death a great relief from

Reality. In our little isolated planet, there are several types of people.

The most common, would simply be the common-folk. On top, would be the "nobles" or better known as those with money and power.

Along the long winding path of live you will always bump into these people, but also along the way, you'll meet a group of people floating among the clouds.

In our society these people are known as the lovers. They let their heads float up high to the clouds, and forget about keeping their feet firmly planted on the ground.

Often times, they get so caught up in their love lives, that they become everything to them, but eventually, something terribly wrong happens, and they drop from these clouds,

Far off in distance. Now they have lost their lives, and their love, and also their trust. So are lovers worth more dead... or alive?

"That bloody barber." Mrs. Lovett thought to herself, referring to the thumping upstairs. "Never eats, never sleeps.

Hmph, I'm beginning to think that he's isn't human." she muttered under her breath to no one in particular. She began to slice up an apple to bring to Mr. Todd

, to serve as his "dinner". "Ow!" she shrieked before dropping the knife. A trickle of blood ran down her finger onto her wrist and arm.

She put her lips on her finger and sucked the blood off. She sighed before trudging merrily up the wooden stairs that led to Sweeney Todd's barbershop.

"Mr. Todd?" She opened the door without knocking. "What is it you want Mrs. Lovett?" he flatly stated. "Your dinner."

He shuffled his feet on the floor. He glared at her, aiming for her eyes, but realizing he missed and hit a little lower to her bosoms. If he had gotten her eyes she would have left, but

Clearly he missed. He took a deep sigh. She walked over to him slowly. He didn't bother to look up. He didn't really want to hear her voice right now.

"Wot's bothering you, love?" She asked him soothingly. "Wot do you think?" he returned her question.

"Judge...Lucy. Johanna?" He simply glared at her. "And right now you are too. Leave, so that I have one less thing bothering me."

She stepped in front of him, and grabbed his neck. "You have to learn to let go of the past dearie, you'll never make it through life that way." She paused and looked around. "Of course, this isn't really a "normal" life...but it's still a life that you are living. Besides;" She leaned closer and whispered into his ear.

Her warm breath against his cold, cold skin. "You are just troubled man...haunted by another man's past." With that the thudded out of the room, and slammed the door behind her. He felt something on his neck.

He reached to feel what it was. Still a little bit read, the blood from her cut finger had ended up on the back of his neck. He looked at it, and imagined it on her pale skin.

He closed his eyes for a moment. Images flashed through his head. Benjamin Barker, the Judge...Lucy...and baby Johanna...the usual thoughts. He kept his eyes closed as the pictures flashed in a random order.

Benjamin Barker...Johanna...Lucy...Johanna...Judge...Lucy...Mrs. Lovett. He opened his eyes puzzled. How did she end up in his thoughts? He tried to imagine her again. But he couldn't, but he could see something shiny on her neck.

What was that? It was golden. Shaped like a heart. It looked...strangely familiar, yet he'd never seen Mrs. Lovett wear it. He closed his eyes again. The pictures popped up, and went round and round. Finally an image of a laughing Mrs. Lovett shot through the back of his mind.

She looked...different. He concentrated hard on her neck. A locket. The shiny golden thing was a locket. It still looked oddly familiar. An image of Lucy slid in place of Mrs. Lovett.

The locket. Lucy wore the exact same one. "Mr. Todd? Are you going to sleep standing up?" A sharp voice awoke him from his thoughts.

He didn't answer her. Instead her looked at her neck. Only aimed too low...again. She looked at him funny. And walked out of the room without questioning him.

He walked over the barber chair. And sat down. A long story flashed through his mind. A long, long story...


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: Images

Chapter Two: Images

The pictures in his mind became clearer as a story started to fall into place. A story that he had long forgotten,

for the only one he remebered was the dreadful story of his wife, and the judge. No he thought to himself, not _his _wife, but Benjamin Barker's wife.

He would not let himself forget this. Ah, yes. A small fountain that began as a blurred image cleared up. A girl sat on the edge alone.

She avoided everybody eyes. She rested her elbow on her dress while staring into a far off distance as if she would see something there.

A boy...yes a young boy. He looked at her. He approached her, and took his right hand and shoved her into the fountain water

before running off laughing. She stuck her head out of the water and miserably climbed back over the edge and resumed her original position. Her dress was soaking wet, and her hair was the same.

She caught site of a boy staring at her. An admirable boy who smiled at her. He looked into her eyes, almost demon red in the blaring sun. "You okay?" He asked her. She simply nodded. And from then it started.

The images in his mind soon wove into a short movie. "Nellie...if we ever have kids what should we name them?" He asked her while she threw pebbles into the water.

She smiled and said "Madeline for a girl...and..." She stopped. "Todd for a boy." He finshed her sentance. She grinned ear the ear and he sighed.

"Bennie? Do you really think we'll get married someday?" she asked into the night. "Of course." He responded certain of himself. "Yes, my love. We'll have the biggest wedding ever."

"With lots of flowers, and guests...and you'll be so pretty...no not pretty, gorgeous." He rambled on about the reception and dancing.

"What about after that?" she asked "We'll move somewhere far away. And have the prettiest children anybody had ever seen."

"Where will we move to, Ben?" He shrugged. She gasped. "By the sea! Oh, you'd love it. You and me...and our kids." He smiled "Sure." He said "You, me, Madeline and Todd, out by the sea, and the rest will be...history."

She snuggled closer to him. He looked at her. Into her eyes, and he could almost see her imagining the life by the sea. No, not the sea. Her sea.

She wasn't like the girls his friends were talking about, she was...different. Pretty...okay not pretty, beautiful in her own way. She stopped throwing rocks and sat down beside him. "Ben?" she whispered.

"Do you wish on stars?" She asked. He laughed and said. "Well, I don't know, isn't it more of a girl thing to do you think?" he asked her.

She shrugged and looked up into the sky. He didn't want to ruin the moment for her but all of a sudden he just decided to say,

"I heard that stars lie." She glared at him. "I trust them." she said. "why?" he asked in a barley whisper. "Because, I wish with all my heart." she said as if it was the most obvious answer in the whole entire universe.

The night air was quiet. It was still, and only the sound of the water could be heard. He reached over to her, and began to tickle her.

A childish thing to do, but she laughted hysterically and begged him to stop.

She jumped up out of sitting position and unlatched small locket. that hung around her slender neck. "what's in that locket, Nellie?" She smiled and didn't answer.

"No really, Nellie, what's in there?" She smiled and said "You'll know Benjamin, when you have the key to my heart."

He remembered thinking at that moment, don't I already? "watch this." she said. She took a deep breath, looked into the sky and clasped her locket tightly.

She held it by the heart and tossed it not too far. Instantly, a shooting star appeared, soaring across the summer night sky. "How'd you do that?" he asked. "Magic" she whispered.

She closed her eyes. "Make a wish, Bennie." He clasped onto her hand tightly and wished to find the love of his life. The shooting star passed slowly. She opened her eyes. He asked her "What'd you wish for?"

They ran down to find her locket. He looked at it and wondered when he would be able to see the contents that meant everything to her.

She said "You ask to many questions." He pulled her into his embrace and said "And I don't get enough answers."

She giggled and leaned in close. She whispered into his ear; "I wish...that we would never forget this moment." He smiled. And whispered softly in her ear "I promise."

But stars had lied. He opened his eyes and found himself sitting in his own barber chair. He forgot because of the nasty things the judge did. The plans he crafted, to break him apart from Lucy.

But this story wasn't about Lucy. She wasn't in it. This wasn't that story. It was the story of Mrs. Lovett and him. She was a different girl back then. And as he was a different boy. She had her life all planned out.

She said that she trusted the clouds in the sky wouldn't drop her off in a far distance. But she found herself, dropped off far away from where they left off.

She finds herself sitting by that same fountain wishing that things had been different. It was Lucy that came along. Lucy that he fell for.

The gorgeous, blonde that was quiet and kept to herself. The girl that wore the same locket! He remebered it, but barley. He just remembered when he first met her. She sat on the edge of that same fountain, golden hair and her golden locket shone in the sun.

Who was Mrs. Lovett? Oh, he scarcly remebered. Just the small details here and there. He just remembered she was the bubbly girl that he promised to marry someday.

He smiled at himself, and thought_ "well, Nellie, look where that got us. Partners in crime we are."_ He sighed and attempted to wake up from his past.

But he couldn't. He sat there a minute longer and thought. Locket, that golden locket. Lucy had never let him touch that locket. He flinched. And remebered, the only way to get into the locket was to have the key to the girl's heart.

It hurt him to think that he didn't have the key to his dear Lucy's heart. Maybe...he would find out what Mrs. Lovett had in hers.

Maybe it was downstairs in the bedroom. He winced at the idea of going through her stuff, but couldn't resist. "Bloody liars." He mumbled under his breath, referring to the non-exsistant stars.

He began to make his way downstairs the the shop."If you had kept your promise, everything would be different."

But the stars had kept their promise. He found the love of his life. But the stars had lied to Mrs. Lovett. She didn't get her promise. And he never got the key to little Nellie's heart. But he didn't get the key to Lucy's either.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three: Questions and Answers Chapter Three: Questions and Answers

_Reviews are GREATLY appreciated. Please. _

The floorboards creaked as he walked toward her room. It was late out, and only the moon was barley showing behind the clouds.

The sky glowed an eerie purple-blue. All was still and silent. Except for the creaking of the floor.

Mrs. Lovett lay peacefully in her bed. Turned toward the small window that was left open in her room. She breathed in rhythm to his steps.

The door slowly inched open. Mr. Todd stood there his eyes darting around the small cramped room.

He tiptoed over to her to make sure that she was really asleep. Strands of stray hair fell all over her face. With every breath, she blew them up and they'd slowly float back down again.

He walked silently toward the little dresser that stood in the corner of the room. A little mirror sat above it.

Tangles of necklaces, and other jewelry glimmered in the little moonlight. He searched quietly.

Ah, he found it. There it was. The silly little locket. Now that he looked at it, it seemed even clearer than before. It was beautiful.

He closed his eyes and remembered it against her pale skin. No…he didn't forget the day…he had just…misplaced it somewhere in his mind.

He stood still for a moment. Images flying through his head again. This time, he imagined snow.

The snow falling on the ground. The streets were empty as they could ever be. Ben and Nellie were running around like maniacs in the snow.

She fell down and didn't bother to get up. So he joined her there. "Let's play a game." She suggested.

He didn't nod, but didn't oppose. "Twenty Questions, okay?" He nodded and said "Okay. You ready?" "Nineteen." She said.

"What?" "Eighteen!" She almost shouted giggling. He figured it'd just be best to keep his mouth shut.

"Uh…are you cold?" He asked her "Yes." She said. "That was a stupid question. Come on, this is your only chance to ask me anything you want. Besides, you have seventeen questions left."

He inched closer to her, and put his arms around her to keep her warm. "Do you believe in ghosts?" she asked him

"Nope, just memories." He said. Even now this hurt Mr. Todd. Thinking even back then he knew where his life was heading…

"Nineteen questions Nellie!" "Are you afraid to die?" He asked her. "No, are you?" She asked.

"No, but now you have eighteen questions left, and I have…sixteen." He said, doing the calculations in his head.

"Do you love me?" he asked quieter than last time. She looked at him and murmured, "yes. I do."

He smiled, and placed a kiss on her lips. "Do you think we'll get married someday?" She asked. "Yah. He answered." And that was all he could remember.

The pain went down deep inside as he stood there looking into the small, dusty mirror. _Who have I become?_ He asked himself.

The words that they shared hurt him so deeply inside, he began to get angry. But it was the dead of night.

There was nobody to kill right now. So no other way to take his anger out. He stood there frustrated.

The ran his thumb across the engraved letters on the back of the locket. "Forever Yours." He didn't need to see it, he could feel it.

Besides, if he closed his eyes, he could see it. But closing his eyes would just result in a nightmare. As if his life wasn't already one big nightmare that you couldn't wake up from.

He attempted to open it. She stirred and sat up in her bed. Her eyes locked with his, even in pitch black.

"Wot do you think you are doing, Mr. Todd?" he didn't know how to answer her. So he just asked another question.

"Wot's inside of this locket." She made her way up and snatched it out of his hands. "Why would you want to know?"

She asked. He didn't really want to tell the story. So he just stood there in silence. "Come on, tell me." She whimpered. "I'll wait all night until I understand why, **you** are in my room, attempting to open my locket."

He said nothing. She sat up in her bed. He walked over to her, and sat down next to her. He explained the whole story, thankful that it was dark out and she couldn't see him blushing from time to time.

She seemed to have fallen asleep. Her head was rested on his shoulder. Her locket clasped tightly in one of her little fist.

"Mrs. Lovett." He whispered. "How do I get to know what's in the locket?" she rolled over to the other side and mumbled; "You don't."

"But, Mrs. Lovett. We both know there's a way. It's to win the key to your heart." "That's right, but it's not a key that you could just randomly give away, love."

She said back. He slid down next to her. And played with the chain of the locket. Thinking about what he would do tomorrow, and the day after that, and the day after that. Until finally, he fell peacefully asleep, holding her head in his arms.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four-Let's Walk

Chapter Four-Let's Walk

He thought to himself while he lay sideways facing the blank wall. If he acted strangly nice to her, she would notice. She wasn't stupid,

Just in love. Then again, those in love were always ignorant. He was pretty sure that Mrs. Lovett would do anything for him.

He flinched at her name. He threw his arm to the otherside of the bed, only to find that something was lying there. "Ow." A little squeaky voice said.

He turned all the way around and squinted at the figure in the bed, now looking at him with one eye open. "Not a very nice way to wake a lady up, Mr. Todd." she mumbled.

He muttered "Sorry." more to himself than to her. "it's alright love." she said. "Wot time is it?" She asked. "I 'unno, but it's to early to get up. It's Sunday." He grouched and turned to the otherside.

It had been awhile since he wanted to sleep, but today he could barley keep his eyes open. His eyelids felt heavy. "Fine." She sighed. And slid back down under the covers. She was tired too and fell asleep right away.

Mr. Todd turned over to observe her face up close. Her eyes were deeply sunken in her face, but even if they were closed, you could tell that they were gorgeous.

Loose curls framed her small, pale face. Her mouth hung slightly open, allowing her to breathe. He ran his thumb across her small, red lips. He studied her face a little more, and almost felt...depressed.

More depressed than he normally did. That depressed covered the outside layer of her heart, except when he thought of Lucy and Johanna, that hurt all over. However, this was different.

It felt as if something hit him heart in the heart, and burned a whole through it. He looked at her now, and remembered who she used to be. Her hand lightly lied around his waste. Her small hand clutching the locket. He knew he didn't love her.

He couldn't love her. He would always love Lucy. He sighed to himself. He was right, lovers were the stupid, insane, ignorant people who didn't watch where they were going and always end up somewhere far from where they started.

He didn't know why he wanted to see what was in the locket, but there was just some magnetic force that dragged him straight to it. He had a desire to know what was inside the small locket, no matter how simple the object inside of it might be.

All of sudden a feeling hit him. She'd been feeling sorry for him all the time. He wondered if she ever lived in the past. But he knew he was asking himself stupid questions. It was obvious part of her mind dwelled in the long lost past,

and the other part day dreaming about an impossible future. But the feeling overwhelmed him. He began to feel sorry for her. He didn't know why, but he did.

The feeling was so strong, he reached over to her head, wrapped his arms tightly around it, placed a peck on her forehead before saying,

"I'm sorry." He wasn't sure if he was apologizing for himself, or for somebody else. If he was apologizing for the future, or for the past.

He stood up and decided that he couldn't take this any longer. He opened the door that was still left a little open from last night, and sat on the couch across from where passed out Toby slept.

He sat there for heaven knows how long, before Mrs. Lovett came out, smiling and walked over to where Mr. Todd was and sat down beside him. She said nothing, and did nothing, but sit there. He watched as her eyes

focused hard on something. She was no longer smiling, but he knew she wasn't aware of it. She was clearly deep in thought as he was most of the time.

She wore the locket around her neck now. He reached over to touch it, but she stood up and walked over to Toby.

"Wake up, dearie." She said softly in his ear, shaking him a little. He didn't wake, and she didn't bother try again. "I guess I'd better let him sleep then, he's worked hard this week after all, don't you think, Mr. Todd."

He did nothing, but grunt. He couldn't learn to love his woman, he just couldn't. He could marry her, but he married Lucy, and he wasn't allowed anywhere near the locket.

He loved Lucy with all his heart. Every little bit of it, but he didn't get the locket. He made it clear to himself that he could not love Mrs. Lovett even half as much.

Even if he pretended. But it was worth a shot. "Mrs. Lovett...would you like to take a walk?" He asked her.

"To where?" she asked, looking at him puzzled. "Wherever...we may end up." She shrugged. She was satisfied with this answer. It was still very early in the morning, and very chilly. She went to grab a coat and they walked out the small front door together.

Little snowflakes fell from the grey sky. London, was just one big shade of grey indeed. No variations, just grey.

"May I ask, Mr. Todd...what we're doing." "Walking." He simply replied "Yes, I've figured that much out...but where are we going?"

"Like I said, we end up...wherever we may end up." "Oh...we always end up far from where we started." She said, the second part mostly to just herself rather than Mr. Todd.

They walked in silence. The streets were completly empty except for a few stray cats, and a newspaper being blown by the wind.

It was early out for one, and it was snowing, so there was a good chance there wouldn't be many if any people out. They stopped at the fountain.

There was barley any water, and the little water at the bottom, had frozen into ice over night. "This is where I met you..." He said to himself, but he didn't realized that it was loud enough for Mrs. Lovett to hear, since it was so quiet out.

He also thought to himself, and Lucy. The shimmer of gold passed through is mind, but he quickly snapped back into reality.

"Yah. I remember." She said. "Beadle pushed me into the fountain." She said laughing a little. "Yes, I remember and you came out like nothing had happenned and resumed your day dreaming."

"Yes, yes I did." "What were you thinking about anyway?" She looked at him a bit surprised to see that he had any interest in conversation. "I was thinking about...meeting the man of my dreams...and...then running off together."

She said slightly blushing at the last part. "...but" she continued "as you can see, I am far from that dream, and probably will always remain far off from that dream."

He looked at her, realizing she wasn't really her optomistic self. "Exactly how did that dream work?" He asked, actually slightly interested.

"Well," She paused to take a seat on the edge of the fountain. He joined her. "It was sort of the like, the by the sea dream I keep on telling you about."

He nodded. "If you know what I'm talking about." She added considering the fact that he barly listened. "So, I wanted to meet a dream guy. A guy who really liked me for who I was...

I wished every night on a star that he would find me...or I would find him...or we would somehow find eachother." "Mmhmm." He said

"He was going to be handsome, and protective...and his eyes would sparkle." He chuckled a little. "I know, silly isn't it? But anyway, I had this crazy idea that we would meet, but our parents wouldn't approve."

She stopped for a moment. "Go on." He said. "I had it all planned out that we would run off together to somewhere...far...far...away from London."

She shivered from the cold. He put his arms around her to sheild her from the winter winds. She smiled up at him before continuing with her story.

"Like I was saying, we'd move far away. And we'd have kids, and live in a nice beach house. And..." She stopped suddenly and bit her lower lip.

"Go on..." he urged her. "TherewasoncewhenIthoughtImettheguy,butibetternottalkaboutit." Sje sad so quickly, he understood none of it.

"Shall we go on?" He asked. She stood up, and he stood up after her. "This was going to be harder than he thought.

He was trying hard to be nice, but he could feel the real nice part of him...or should he say the Benjamin Barker side of him sneaking up.

"What's Toby going to do when he wakes up?" He asked suddenly. "I don't know, but probably he'll run off to find some friends to spend the day with." she responded.

"So, tell my, my love, why did you suddenly decide to want to know what was inside my locket last night?"

He honestly did not want to answer any of this question. "Tell me." He said nothing. "So you want to hear my story?" "Yah." "Do you think I want to tell it?" he asked.

"No, but you will." She said flashing a big smile at him. She kept her smile over all these years...and her eyes. "It was just because...I wanted to know...what kind of jewlery women wear." he stuttered through the last part of the sentance.

"No, you were not Mr. Todd. I know when you're lying." "Mr. T, do you remember that time...a long time ago when you and I were trying to decide on other people's futures?"

He laughed. "Yes, Mrs. Lovett, I do." He said "I remember that we decided that David was going to become a lawyer." "Because he loved to argue with Ms. Roslyn!" They both exclaimed at once, bursting out in laughter.

At this point, Sweeney Todd himself had forgot the rest of his thoughts, and continued to share his memories of the ridiculous things they did. "Yes! and...who...oh! Sammy was to become a priest."

"A little priest..." He sang. "Oh, my yes. Susie! Do you remember her?" She asked. " 'course I do! She was the girl we decided would go and do great things." "What great things?" He asked.

"Oh you know sail the world, save the world from some horrible crisis, become queen, oh and I remember we had this crazy idea that she would grow up and be the first person ever to meet an alien."

They laughed somemore. "Sarah, love. You certainly remember her!" Mrs. Lovett exclaimed. "Yes, she was going to be a wedding planner."

"What were we going to be?" she asked him. "You a baker...I don't know what I was 'spose to end up, but we were going to get married."

She fell silent at this. And turned to see a snow white park. The trees casted a shadow against the pure with snow. She stuck her tounge out and began to catch snowfalkes.

He laughed at her, and wrapped his arms around her waste, nuzzling her neck... "I think...you're crazy." He growled in her ear.

It was now clear that they had both shed their personalities, their skins somewhere far off in the distance...but the day was just beginning, and the sun had just started to rise.

_PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW. I'M BEGGING LIKE ON MY KNEES. IT WOULD BE SO NICE. THANK YOU. SORRY IF IT'S LONG I JUST HAD THIS URGE TO WRITE...A LOT. _


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five: Snowy Park

Chapter Five: Lies, Secrets, Forgotten Memories

_Note: Please. Review. Please. I'd love you forever and ever...and put your pen name in my golden locket...not the one in the story. _

They wandered through the park as the wintry winds blew the snowflakes in a different directions. The trees bare with leaves stood lonely as if they were begging for spring to come along.

Two lonely people walked through the snow. Their laughter lingered in the air, and their presence was more than obvious.

"Twenty Questions, Mrs. Lovett. You go first." "Do you like Toby?" She asked. "No...And yes...it makes me feel like somebody might find out our secret with him around."

"And that was a dumb question." he added. "I know, I'm just warming up, dearie." She said back. "Your turn!" "Wot did you do for the fifteen years while...I...Benjamin was gone?"

"I baked terrible pies and had my life taken away from me. Everything. You, Lucy, Johanna, Albert..." She went on. "I'm sorry." He said. "No need to apologize for wot's already happened."

"Your turn." She said. They moved to stand by a snow-covered bench. They didn't sit, but instead just stood next to the bench frozen in the snow as the fountain was frozen in time.

"Why is that locket so important to you?" He asked as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to him. She buried her head in his chest and said "Because, it's the only part of my life that wasn't taken away from me."

"Why'd you want to take me for a walk today?" She asked him, turning to look up into his eyes. He looked back down at her sparkling amber ones and whispered. "I honestly don't know, my pet." "Yes you do. I bet you did it so you could see what's in the locket."

He said nothing, and grabbed her head pushing her back to his chest. She felt his heart beat against her ear. Slow, but rhythmic.

"Do you love me?" He asked her another question. "I think you know the answer that one, Mr. T." She answered, tears almost whelling up in her eyes.

"But, I like to hear it Nellie." He said. She looked up at his eyes, and placed a kiss on his lips. "Yes. No matter what you change your name to, what color your dye your hair...how many people you kill."

He felt a powerful feeling drown him. He leaned down to kiss her cheek. They took hands and moved through the rest of the park.

"What's life to you Mrs. Lovett?" He asked her. "You ask too many questions." She said. "But I dont' get enough answers." He flinched at saying this.

"Life to me...well my life is chasing hopeless dreams. Lots of them. You know sometimes I wish I didn't dream that much because everytime I dream, I know that I won't ever get what I want."

"What do you mean?" He asked her. "Like, for instance. That by the sea dream. I'll never ever live by the sea. With you. No matter how much money we make from the job. I just wish that I would aim lower, so that I don't spend nights sobbing over the fact that I want stuff I'll never get."

They found a little bench and sat down. He ran his fingers through her curly hair, as she began to doze off on his shoulder.

Soon they were both asleep, until the sun began to set, as fast as it began to rise. And they started walking to nowhere, all over again.

They walked until their feet couldn't take the pain anymore. They sat down on the edge of what used to be a dock, swinging their legs over the edge.

"Nellie, what were you saying today at the fountian today?" he asked her out of the blue. "I you really wanna know?" she asked back. "Yah, besides, I have one more questions left, and you just used up your last one."

She huffed, and looked over at him. "Once upon a time..." she started. "No, wait, that's not how I want to start it, it makes me sound old. And my life is certianly no fairytale."

"K, so you see, there was this girl...who really loved this boy. They shared so many moments together, and they thought they'd get married someday...and have kids..."

"Oh I see, and what were these kids names?" He joked, pretending he didn't know where this was going. "I don't quite remember, it was quite a long time ago. So like I said, the girl was a little dreamer,

never kept her little head out of the clouds, or her toes on the ground. She finally thought she had found her prince charming."

He snickered. She smiled, and scooted closer to him, breathing lightly on his cold skin. "Like I said, she finally thought she'd found the man of her dreams. But one day, they wished on stars, both of them,

one wished that he would find the love of his life, and the other wished that he would never forget the moments they shared together. They're love.

But all this fairytale shit ending rather quickly, when all her dreams were shattered by a gorgeous girl...whom I forget the name of." "Wot happenned after that?" He asked, moving closer to her as well.

Their lips still parted, but they were almost touching. "Well, the girl...felt betrayed. Andwasneverthesameagain." She finished quickly, so that she could lean in to the passionate kiss.

The kiss lasted for what seemed like hours, when it was only a minute or so. They parted, gasping for air. "Let me tell you a story." he said. She smiled.

"There was once...a little boy...who loved this little girl, more than anything in the whole entire world. He loved her more than he loved love itself.

He smiled at every little thing she did, and couldn't believe how beautiful she was." "Wot was her name?" She asked him. "I don't remember, love." He said back. "Anyways, so they used to be best friends,

but one day...everything changed." She started to cry. "And...so...they fell in love, and left the other girl broken hearted. The end." She finished the rest of the story for him, mostly blurting it out.

Again, he said nothing. This was becoming a problem for him. Never being able to say anything, when something obviously needed to be said. Instead, he just held her there.

"I remember," She suddenly said, "Once, you told me that stars fucking lie." He said. "I didn't trust them, no." He said. "Yeah, well you were right."

She stood on the edge of the dock. His first notion was that she was going to jump, but instead she turned around to face a the dark of the night, and shouted with all her might "I hate, you, god damn liars!" She ripped the necklace off her neck and threw it

toward the dark city of London. She ran after it, but not before as he for some reason expected, a shooting star shot across the sky. He stood for awhile, and made a quick, but simple wish, praying that the stars wouldn't let him down.

"Did you wish for anything Mrs. Lovett?" He asked her. "No, I don't trust those bloody stars anymore." She grumbled. "D'you wish?" she asked all of a sudden.

"Yah. Actually I did." She turned to him surprised. Clutching her locket, she walked back to him. "Wha'd you wish for?" She asked, a lot more gentle than before. "I wished...for my Nellie back." She said nothing,

instead she stared out across the ocean through her bloodshot eyes. He kissed her head lightly before walking her all the way back to the shop, enough time for two hours of sleep.

She collapsed into bed, and fell asleep instantly, pondering over his words.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Identity

Chapter 6: Identity

_NOTE: PLEASE REVIEW._

Mr. Todd stood upstairs, overlooking the outside. His thoughts were all over the place right now. Lucy...Johanna...Beadle...Judge...Lucy...Mrs. Lovet. His hard cold eyes focussed on a little patch of light far off in the distance.

All of a sudden, a familiar shadow emerged from the gloomy streets of London. The awfully familiar feeling of anger rose into Sweeney and flooded all his thoughts.

Yes, in fact, it was the judge, strolling down the streets, coming this way.

Instead of heading straight toward the stairs as Mr. Todd would have hoped, he walked to

Mrs. Lovett, who was surprisingly standing outside as if awaiting his arrival. He stood at the window, and simply watched them exchange a conversation.

As he talked, she grinned. Sweeney smirked, he could see right through that big grin. Or maybe, it was actually real, and she was smiling at the fact that the devil was finally going to meet his death.

He eyed the Judge carefully as he pointed up to his barbershop. He then turned to continue his coversation with Mrs. Lovett. His eyes completley focused on her heaving chest.

Mr. Todd snarled. He knew what the Judge wanted. "That disgusting unworthy man." He mumbled to himself. He put on an evil grin. Why was it always his women he was interested in.

He saw Mrs. Lovett gesturing up to the barbershop with her rolling pin. She was probably only holding it incase the judge struck. He thought to himself, but he watched as she slowly set it down before back up toward the stairs.

He could no longer see them, but they were close enough so that he could hear every single word they were saying. "It's not him I cam to see, love..it's you." THe judge roared at her. She fell

onto the stairs with a loud thump and he heard her scream/ He flinched. What in gods name was he doing to the poor woman? He thought to himself.

"Get the fuck away from me!" She shouted. "Shut up, bitch you know you want it just as much as I do, slutt!" he slapped her. That was it, he wasn't going to take anymore of this bloody shit.

He opened the door to see Mrs. Lovett sobbing, croset undone and Judge Turpin, standing over her. "What in the universe are you doing with her?!" Sweeney shouted as if he didn't already know.

The judge began to speak, but hesitated. "nevermind, how about we step inside, and I'll give you a shave, and we'll discuss this...before the entire bloody city finds out."

The Judge stepped inside without another word. The last thing he wanted was for the whole city to hear. Besides news spread rather quickly in this strange town.

Turpin sat down in the barber chair as Mr. Todd sharpened his infamous razors and covered the Judge's face in a thick layer of shaving cream. "Exdactly what were you doing wth Mrs. Lovett?"

Sweeney asked him after a long awkward silence. "Why does it concern you, she is widowed after all." He prepared the razor a little mor, before beginning to shave the judge before sending him to hell.

"I wanted to know, Judge Turpin, why is it always my women you're after?" he asked. "Always? Mr. Todd, why you just got here. Besides wot makes her yours?"

He asked suspiciously. "Well it was Lucy...now her." He answered avoiding the other question. Mostly just because he didn't have an answer.

"Benjamin Barker? It couldn't be?" The judge said starteled. He squirmed to try to get out of the chiar, but Mr. Todd held him down. "No sir, you're quite right. I'm not that man, I'm Sweeney Todd...finally getting his sweet revenge." He siad as he slit the Judge's throat.

Blood squirting everywhere. He cleaned off his razor, and put on a fresh white shirt. He went down to the pie-shop and sat in one of the booths for two hours, thinking about how he'd finally got his revenge.

He smiled as Mrs. Lovet came out, a fresh pie on the tray she was carrying. She placed the ie in front of him. "Wot is it?" He asked her.

"It's judge. Fresh from the oven, love." She winked. He laughed as he ate the pie rather quickly. "That--my dear, was the absolute most satisfying meal I have ever had."

She giggled. "My compliments to the baker." He said. He pulled her down into his lap. He decided that she had already had far too much for one day.

"I'm sorry about the Judge today." She looked at him. Her bigger amber eyes gleaming. But still, she said nothing. She gave him a quick kiss, and jumped up and walked away.

"Ha." He thought to himself. "A bloody wonder indeed." He sighed. Now that the judge was where he belonged, what was he to do?

That question bothered him, but something bothered him even more. His name. Yes, something as simple as that bothered him to the bone.

Sweeney Todd was all about revenge, but he had his revenge. And Benjamin died ages ago. So who was he now?

He thought up names in his head. Combining his old name and his new name and he finally settled with Todd Barker.

This was now his identity. But so far Todd Barker was a nobody. He wasn't a barber nor a murderer. He looked out toward the ran expressionless.

He thought about the wish he made. He laughted to himself about how silly it was. It seemed as if he was back at the beginning. A naive man.

Her smile found it's way into his mind. Thinking of it made him smile. But he knew part of him wanted to be beside Lucy. And he would be able to, but somebody wasn't able to let her go. At least not quite yet.

Could be possibly learn to love again? He didn't want to start his new life out as a crazy in love man. But clearly he had already started, and he was no crazy naive man. Not yet...anyway.

He thought until his eyelids got heavy. He slept until he heard footsteps coming up tho his shop. The bell rung signaling that somebody had entered the shop. He looked up to see Mrs. Lovett standing there.

"Mr. Todd?" She said. "Actually, it's Todd Barker now." She said nothing and you could slightly see her nod.

"Wot are you doing in here, pet?" He asked. "I couldn't sleep, I'm used to you pacing. It was too quiet, like something could sneak up behind me and I wouldn't know."

He grinned at her childishness and p ulled her to him. He did what she always did to him. He hummed softly in her ears. It must have been real soothing because within a matter of seconds she was alseep.

She was warm, and he was cold. He hugged her closer hoping to transfer some of her body heat to him. He'd never noticed how chilly it was up there.

He buried his face in her mess of curls and thought to himself. "Maybe I could learn to love again..." With that thought, and plan in mind he fell soundlessly asleep.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Alive Again Chapter 7: Alive Again

_Note: Please Review. Like begging please. It would mean so much to me. If you want it to make more sense, the song for this chapter is Easier to lie, by Aqualung. Thankz_

The Morning air was crisp and cold. The frozen London sat, looking untouched by the many souls that it possessed.

Paris had stolen the many tales of love in London many years earlier. It was easy to see that the world had changed, and that many people had found themselves

In the same place that had years earlier, assuring themselves that their lives would be all right. That the tears and hours of pain were all worth it.

And year-by-year passed like this, a lonely, graceful London trapped and frozen in time. Those who lived there dwelled in the dreaded past, and had long forgotten the happy times.

For all the lingering laughter, and smiles had been left behind. For Mrs. Lovett, she found herself in the same place as she had years earlier,

Wishing on stars, and playing movies in her head, pretending that things were different. Hidden away in her own little corner, she longs to stand and shed her skin and become somebody else,

But she can't. She's trapped in dream where you can't move or do anything about the world around you. All you can do is watch it pass by. And by god it's moving so damn fast.

Mr. Todd had gotten up early this morning. He had convinced himself to do something different. Though is name was now Todd Barker, he was still referred to as Mr. Todd or Mr. T by Mrs. Lovett.

He had planned this whole day out, hoping that fate would just cooperate with him for once in his life. Him. Nobody else, just him.

He left early as Mrs. Lovett was beginning to make her first batch of pies. "Where you going?" She asked him.

"To the market…to get supplies." He said. She shrugged and let him go. "Don't be back too late!" She shouted as he scrambled out of the narrow doorway. He walked toward the market.

The London morning, or as he liked to call it, "Deaths" morning, was strangely full of random people, bargaining for shoes, clothes and groceries.

But none of that was what he was here for. Today…was going to be rather…different. But hopefully in a good way.

So he had somehow convinced his heart that he could love again. Not without bleeding heavily inside though. He somehow had been able to decided that he would move on. He sighed as he made his way though the market,

Eyes peeled looking for the perfection. Back in the shop, Mrs. Lovett served customers. Not as many because today was market day, but enough to make a share.

She wondered to herself where Mr. Todd was. And continued to wonder until she wondered why she wondered so much. She leaned down on the rough wooden counter, and smiled to herself as she remembered a little story.

She was maybe eight or nine. She sat on a small creaky wooden swing. She swung back and forth as the boy behind her pushed. "Come on, Nellie! Jump!" He yelled.

"No!" She shouted loudly, laughing. "Oh, come on. It feels like flying, don't you wonder what it feels like to fly?" "Yes." She shouted. It was nearing Christmas time, and little Nellie and Benjamin Barker were spending their day at the park.

The park that they would return to many years later. It wasn't snowing out like in Sweeney's memory. Instead, a cool wind blew through the air. As she went up and down the necklace pounded heavily down on her sternum.

"Benny!" She said. "But I want you to jump. I wanna see you fly, Nellie!" She shook her head violently. "No way." "But it's the only way to make me happy!" he said, hoping that this was a convincing argument.

"I guess you just won't be happy then!" She said back jokingly. She watched and giggled as he pouted. And without thinking, she jumped off the swing. _Whoosh_. The cold air blew at her face as she landed perfectly on the floor.

Both feet on the ground. She smoothed out her skirt and said; "You happy now Ben?" He snickered. "Very." He responded with a tone of sarcasm. She rolled her eyes and looked at him.

All of a sudden his eyes got real wide, "I gotta show you something Nellie, before somebody buys it!" He shouted, grabbing her hand and leading her into the streets crowded with last minute shoppers.

They pushed through the mob of people and appeared at a store window. The window was shining brightly, and in the smack dab center stood a snow globe. Snow fell onto a little swing with a little boy pushing and girl sitting,

Almost if the snow globe had caught there picture in time. She smiled and said, "it's so pretty." He said "Someday, I'ma gettchu one jus' like dat one."

Mrs. Lovett smiled as she woke up into reality. The funny thing though was exactly at this moment; Mr. Todd was standing in front of the snow globe shop

Twirling a golden ring in between his fingers, before slipping it away in the box. He smiled to no one in particular, before entering the shop. "Ello sir. Is there something you looking for?"

Mr. Todd hesitated to ask the man his question. "Yes, in fact." He responded rather casually. "You see a long time ago, let me stress that, a loooonnng time ago, there was this snow globe I remember seeing here.

It had two children playing on swings, in the snow, of course. I was wondering if it still existed…" The storekeeper laughed. "Yes sir it does. Was one of my father's favorites, he really didn't want to sell it,

So he kept it in the back of the shop. He told me that he displayed it one year for Christmas, but never sold. He saw two kids gazing at it, and wished that they would be the ones to buy it. But oh well, old man never gets what he wants."

Sweeney said nothing. He watched as the storekeeper rummaged through the back of the shop, pulling out a dust covered snow globe. He took it in his hands and blew the dust off if it.

Mr. Todd smiled politely at the man and said, "Yes, that's the one I want." He paid for it quickly and left the store. He strolled down the street until he reached Mrs. Lovett's pie shop.

She was inside, cleaning off the counter tops, singing to herself. He ran inside like an excited child and grabbed her waist. She squealed. She attempted to turn around,

But Mr. Todd blind folded her with a red ribbon. "Wot do you think you are doing?" She found herself asking this question much too often. He said nothing and guided her out the door.

She held her hands out in front of her hoping that she wouldn't bump into anything…or anyone. She laughed, as he led her toward a familiar place and untied the ribbon. In front of her stood a fountain.

Yes, the oddly familiar frozen fountain. "Once a upon a time…" He started a story. She smirked at him. "There was a girl…a very, very pretty little girl, who also grew up to become a wonderfully pretty woman."

She smiled. "Things happened that weren't so nice, and so we're gonna pretend it never happened at all. As time went by, things changed, and people changed. Along with this girl, there was this little boy.

I dun really remember what he looked like though." "I'm sure he was adorable." She interrupted briefly. "Yes alright. Whatever you say, pet. So, this boy really missed this girl. They grew up together.

He really missed her when she got older, and started to change. He changed too…a lot…but he knew that inside she was still just a lost little girl…wishing her life was simpler, and she had one less thing to worry about.

So one night, in the back of his mind, this boy…a full-grown man now…planned a plan that would hopefully make her life easier. So he decided that he was going to marry her."

He abruptly finished his story, before turning to her and saying, "So, Nellie, what d'ya say? Lemme help you find yourself again?" She gave in a grin and said "Yes." He smiled as he slipped the ring onto her finger.

"Wait—, There's something I wanted to show you." "Wot is it?" She asked. He took out the snow globe that shimmered in the light. She gasped, and threw her arms around him. All of a sudden, the fountain seemed to flow more smoothly,

the sun shone brighter, and the days up ahead seemed almost welcoming.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Bound to Our Promises Chapter 8: Bound to Our Promises

The fire crackled in Mrs. Lovett's small parlor. The silence outside was haunting as she sat down and unwrapped a small velvet box much like the one Mr. Todd kept his razors in upstairs.

She sighed as she began to walk upstairs but stopped part way. Instead, she shouted out "Love, can I get you down here for a moment…please?" she asked. Within a matter of time, he ran down obediently.

"Yes…Nellie?" She smiled and motioned for him to sit down. He tilted his head and looked at her slightly confused. He sat down all in one swift motion.

She looks at him, before smiling and lifts the cover to the blue velvet box. Inside sit two golden lockets, glimmering against the light of the fire. He looks carefully at the engraved print on the locket.

He looks almost startled as he runs his fingers over the one that reads "Lucy." Then proceeds to run his fingers along the one that says "Nellie" as well. He looks into her eyes, the fire reflecting upon them.

He reaches to try to pick up Lucy's locket. But Mrs. Lovett sets his hand down. "It's Lucy's locket, I have a right to look at wot's inside it." He simply stated to her. "Not until you hear the story behind it, love." She simply responded.

He sat quietly, playing with his fingers like a child anxious to find things out. She smiled and began just like he had the day before. "Once upon a time…there were two girls."

She took a quick pause, and looked him fiercely into the eye, as she imagined the images in his pupils. She concentrated hard as she told the story. "The two girls were the best of friends,

One was blonde, while the other had brownish and almost red curls. Well, her mother would say…auburn. Anyway, like I said, they were best friends. One day they were down at the beach, and night had just begun to fall…"

Almost instantly she saw a dark, warm summer night. Two girls were playing in the sand while adults sat behind quietly watching them without a word. The familiar shooting star appeared once again.

"All of a sudden, a shooting star appeared, flying through the sky. We watched it, and then all of a sudden the blond says 'Let's go find it!' so we go. She and I walked all the way out to where our knees were in that freezing water!

You wouldn't believe how many rocks we went through, before she shouts 'Nellie! I found it!' and in that restless water there was this shiny rock. The shiniest ever. So we picked it up.

of course our first thought was to split it. So we broke it in two, by hitting it on a rock and kept halves to show my mum." He smiled. "Did your mum look anything like you?" he asked randomly.

"Some people say I look just like her...when she was younger of course." He smirked. "Well then she must have been beautiful." He said. She blushed. "So anyway, we showed my mum the rock.

and she gasped. And she told us this story about finding a shooting star. You get one wish that is gaurenteed to come true, but you musn't show anybody, except you true love. It sounded so silly,

like one of those fairytales about true loves kiss! But anywho she laughed at what we had done and told us the problem was we broke the rock in two...and nobody was to see it...until both of us had found our 'true loves'."

He took in a breath now. He understood, "So we went to get our pictures taken for the little lockets that our parents bought us. The picture was to show who had the other half."

With that said, she took the gold locket with her name on it,

and opened it up to reveal a shining rock that glittered brighter than anything he had ever seen. He gasped as she let him clutch it. But the thing that interested him even more was the photograph.

He took hit between his thumb and his index finger and looked at it. Indeed it was Lucy and Mrs. Lovett, smiling brighter than ever both holding halves of the special rock. She reached into the box and pulled out Lucy's locket.

She opened it for him to see what it said. He breathlessly took the picture out of her hands. "I love you more than the love of my life." It read on the back of the photo in the familiar yet distant handwriting of Lucy.

He looked at Mrs. Lovett, and looked her directly into the eye. He pulled her close. "All the more reason just ot get married, darling." She smiled and burried her head in his chest.

"By the sea." She whispered. "You get it now?" He smiled. These past few days had changed him more than he could ever imagine. More than he had changed within the fifteen years.

The images in his crazy mind had somehow made him see who Mrs. Lovett really was...or at least who she used to be. The stories, the pictures in his head had really begun to make sense,

and also made a new beginning. By the sea, yes her sea. That's where they were to get married.

The wedding was short, and brief with only Toby watching. They finished and Toby wandered and let the newlyweds alone to have some time to themselves. They wandered down the beach hand in hand.

The summer breeze blew lightly at her dress. The night was quiet as ever. She stopped and pointed out into the water, "that's where we found the star." She smiled. "Sounds crazy." She said to no one in particular.

"But isn't life just crazy?" They stood on the edge of the water, watching the tired sea waves play games with the cold, wet sand. The stood in the dead of night staring out into the vast sea, wondering what lie ahead.

Within the night, he embraced her as they began to dance to a non-exsistant song. Just an individual tune playing in each of their heads. They danced as they watched the ever familiar shooting star soar above the sky.

The star soared slower than ever, and brighter than anyone had ever seen. "You know," she whispered, "Lucy's mum always said that a shooting star was a soul being let into heaven."

She smiled to herself. "They get all the weight of the world lifted of their shoulders. Like you said, a relief." She sighed to herself and wondered outloud. "I wonder...who that is." Mr. Todd looked up too,

and saw whispered into her ear, "Lucy. I finally let go of her. She's free the shine brighter than every star in the sky." She smiled. And they danced there, by themselves, laughing from time to time watching the night slowly tick by...and thinking of the years to come.

_Note: Not over...but almost. Please review, i'd be ever so greatful. _


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